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S Korea's surviving 'comfort women' spend final years seeking atonement from Japan

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By Josh Smith and Haejin Choi

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Notice that the euphemism is almost always used.

Call it as it was.

Sex slaves.

-5 ( +22 / -27 )

SEX SLAVES

-8 ( +20 / -28 )

"Sex slaves" is not politically correct.

-11 ( +13 / -24 )

You need to seek atonement from the Korean government, Japan already has given "atonement".
28 ( +43 / -15 )

They should apologize, tell the truth, and pay the legal compensation

Japan did apologize, told the truth, and paid compensation. Contract was signed in 2015. Go talk to your government who have let you down.

25 ( +42 / -17 )

Japanese government already paid huge money, and finalized everything with President Park in 2015. Why didnt SK government pay the women? There is now no dispute at all, everything has been finalized.

And, can these women prove that they did not volunteer willingly for the job? If they cannot prove this, are they entitled to the big money?

10 ( +34 / -24 )

Yesterday: We accept your apology and this monetary compensation.

Today: Your apology was not sincere. Pay us more money.

The people abusing these women today are the Korean government, which has proven itself utterly disingenuous in dealing with the past and untrustworthy in respecting agreements. Korea wants a political wrench that it can twist at any time to gain leverage over and money from Japan. A wise Japanese government would simply start ignoring Korea on this issue.

30 ( +43 / -13 )

Sorry for these ladies being used to make money for their poor families during the war and used by Korean political activists after the war as symbols of national Han craze.

15 ( +30 / -15 )

Rest assured, this saga will never end until the historical revisionists in Japan, incl members of the diet and cabinet, stop despoiling the efforts made to offer messages of apologies and sorrow.

By their continual discrediting of the womens stories as mere fables, they simply give fuel to the agitators.

Why would a woman give up 27 years of her life in daily protest of the Japanese govt? She's not seeking a fortune in recompense - only heartfelt words of apology, and an unveiled acknowledgement of fault.

But it won't come and the loose-lippers will continue to prattle, so no end is in sight.

-21 ( +15 / -36 )

"We cannot ignore the truth just because it hurts," Moon said this week. "For the sake of sustainable and solid Korea-Japan relations, we must face up to the truth.”

Interesting? does this finally mean that you will be finally willing to face up to the idea that Koreans as well as the Japanese were responsible for this? Or does that truth hurt a little too much and probably best ignored?

Seems Moon is happy to dish it out but like most, cant take it himself when its turned back around at him!

22 ( +30 / -8 )

I cannot imagine what those poor girls endured as forced sex slaves at the hands of the Japanese. This and WWII should never have happened.

Having said that, I beleive that it is time to put that into the past and leave it there. Korea and Japan are both great countries with very talented people with so much to offer eachother. It's far better to leave old grievances behind and strive for mutual flourishing through trade, tourism, etc.

Germany and the rest of Europe is a great example. The Germans apologised, the rest of Europe accepted, agreements were made and the whole matter was left in the past. Now they all get along very well.

The concept of forgiving and forgetting is beneficial not only for us as individuals but for nations as well. This who do flourish. Those who don't languish in bitterness forever.

16 ( +24 / -8 )

Unfortunately this will fall on deaf ears. Japan will never ever admit to its wartime atrotocities.

-22 ( +12 / -34 )

will be finally willing to face up to the idea that Koreans as well as the Japanese were responsible for this? 

Um, who occupied who prior and through the war period? The whole power dynamic was pretty one sided. You do not hear about Japanese women forced into sex slavery by the Koreans. Sorry, the above statement was so dumb it had to be called out. The 500,000 men who were forced to leave Korea to work as slaves basically for Japanese firms in Japan is another example. And how many Japanese men were shipped off to Korea to work as slaves basically, that would be zero.

This is why Japan has not been forgiven for its war crimes like Germany. Germans would not blame the Jews for what the Germans did to them, but Japanese do (or their apologists) blame the Koreans for their crimes.

-20 ( +11 / -31 )

Sorry Zucronium, is a well documented and historically verified fact that Korean businessmen and citizens happily cooperated and collaborated with occupying Japanese forces during this period. These men and women are called Chinilpa in Korea.

And no you don't hear about Koreans forcing Japanese women to be comfort women, but you do hear about Koreans forcing Korean girls to do this! Usually for a price and for reward! Its a two way street of responsibility and blame! Yes Korea was occupied and atrocities did occour but there were people on both sides who profited out of such actions! Korea has brough prosicutions against some of those still alive but it rarely, if ever, acknowledges that they had a part in it publically!  

To disregard this as an inconvenient truth also needs to be called out.

25 ( +33 / -8 )

I support this woman.

Japan should apologize, admit their wrongdoings instead of running from truth.

-24 ( +10 / -34 )

Japan did apologize, told the truth

The truth? If it weren't so disgusting, I'd be ROTFL.

-25 ( +7 / -32 )

Sadly, I have to agree with those that understand that responsibility belongs to both sides. I think back to all those fine Japanese-Americans in the U.S. during the war who voluntarily checked into camps to assuage the fears of Americans. It's been well documented and there's solid proof that there were Japanese spies in America so... it was great of them to take responsibility despite the inconvenience. As an American, I have absolutely no idea why we apologized for that. Also, why acknowledge full responsibility for the atomic bombings when it was clear that the Japanese government knew about the exact time and locations of the bombings and yet still allowed it to happen. Revising history is an insult to the true victims of war. ...Wait, I forgot some people don't know what sarcasm is.

-20 ( +4 / -24 )

Joyriding, to use the German comparison, there were collaborators in all of the occupied countries, recognised by those countries (and they were dealt with by them) but that in no way mitigated what was done by Germany and the Germans did not seek to claim any such either but gave full and honest apology, which is why it was accepted despite the pain, suffering and bitterness. Sadly this has not been done by Japan and a group of revisionists in high places keep trying to water down, deny and subvert any attempts that have been made.

-20 ( +5 / -25 )

..Speak to your own South Korean government. That's where the problem is all this time.

26 ( +32 / -6 )

No Japanese cares any more.

Triring - thank you - you have summed up the Japanese position very well. Although I would question "any more" - did any of them ever care?

Could I ask any of the Japanese who read this site and who feel that previous apologies were sufficient, to echo and repeat that apology? On behalf of Japan, please sincerely repeat that apology.

Anyone?

-15 ( +6 / -21 )

Sorry Zucronium, is a well documented and historically verified fact that Korean businessmen and citizens happily cooperated and collaborated with occupying Japanese forces during this period.

I do not doubt this - there will always be collaborators and those who seek to profit. Sometimes from need, sometimes from greed. This does not absolve the Japanese from their crimes - they were the occupying force looking for young women to service an army.

-17 ( +6 / -23 )

Dear Korean Ladies I promise I am dedicating my life to make sure the world knows and never forgets what the Japanese did to you and all of Korea.

-22 ( +7 / -29 )

gogogo: "Japan did apologize, told the truth, and paid compensation. Contract was signed in 2015. Go talk to your government who have let you down."

They apologized about as much as Kim did for the abductions, and have done even less in terms of atonement. And like people such as yourself are saying, and the government, both say the issue has been resolved. And like the poor parents and relatives of those abducted, these women will probably never have peace of mind or proper acknowledgement, with many in Japan saying "it did not happen", INCLUDING people in government. Abe's 'apology' was "Sorry bad things happen," but not an official admittance that the IJA coerced women into sexual slavery at all.

joyridingonthetitanic: "And no you don't hear about Koreans forcing Japanese women to be comfort women, but you do hear about Koreans forcing Korean girls to do this!"

What on earth are you talking about with the first part?? And you guys wonder why you will forever need to apologize? What you DON'T hear is the Japanese government apologizing to Dutch women, English, Philippinas, and others whom they ALSO forced into sexual slavery -- hell, even their own people! You also don't hear them talk much about the forced suicides in Okinawa.

but anything to deflect, eh, amigo? It's everyone else's fault.

-22 ( +6 / -28 )

The Japanese elite won't even apologize sincerely to its own citizens, let alone foreigners they consider inferior. Unfortunately in Japanese culture, the concept and notion of 'honesty' is not the same as in foreign cultures. Expecting a ''sincere'', in terms of South Korean culture, apology from Japan is like expecting to be loved by your pet cat, it's just not going to happen, you are asking them to act against their own culture. You are also not going to get a recognition for the same reason, for them recognition of wrong doing is the same as apology. The way they are seeing it, is when you recognize what you did is wrong, it means you are admitting that the other side is better than you, and you are inferior to them. Apologizing for them is an admission of weakness and inferiority.

-18 ( +6 / -24 )

Japan has attitude problems toward to Northeast Asians. This is the last chance for Japan to correct it. Since the Meiji revolution, Japan is morally corrupt, and still treat most Asian victims of its war crime arrogantly, like an imperialistic conqueror, though Japan itself is a victim of the war. Such a double faced Japan can't survive the litmus test of history. The world is changing rapidly and Japan's time is coming to make wise decision to be on the right side of history.

-22 ( +5 / -27 )

Lee Yong-Soo. the most dubious self-appointed victim whose testimonies gone through dramatic transition.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Ah_soToday 09:06 pm JST

No Japanese cares any more.

Triring - thank you - you have summed up the Japanese position very well. Although I would question "any more" - did any of them ever care?

Could I ask any of the Japanese who read this site and who feel that previous apologies were sufficient, to echo and repeat that apology? On behalf of Japan, please sincerely repeat that apology.

Anyone?]

Don't really care since under INTERNATIONAL law it is over.

SK trolls call carry on to time's end for all we care.

18 ( +23 / -5 )

Don't really care since under INTERNATIONAL law it is over.

Again, it's not a matter of law, it's a matter of morality.

Time and time again, in this issue, Japan has shown it has none.

-18 ( +6 / -24 )

The only way Japan can sincerely recognises this dark side of its colonial/war time is to engrave all their misconducts in history school books. Plain and simple.

-15 ( +5 / -20 )

This issue will not be "resolved" while victims still live, while their children remember the stories of horror their mothers or aunties have told them of their ordeals. Any attempt to look at it in a way that demeans or diminishes the pain and suffering by saying "its finished, its done, move on" are oh so wrong.

Slavery in America is long past but there are still grand children and great grand children who remember the stories of those who were the last slaves. Black face or certain words will set off the African American populace who do not forget the horror of slavery, though its time is gone.

Oral memory is passed down in families and not soon forgotten when horrors are involved.

You cant say it did not happen, it did. You said sorry on one hand and expect to never hear of it again but you will never live it down for many many generations yet. Nor should you forget about it. As America will never forget slavery is in its past, So japan must deal with the history of WWII and the actions taken by some in its name whenever it comes up. Fighting it just shows insensitivity. Making like its all just over shows a lack of care and sadly this stands out to all nations.

-17 ( +5 / -22 )

Don't really care since under INTERNATIONAL law it is over.

And by implication you actually did care before Japan agreed to play some blood money? If so, it can't have been very sincere or deep because you don't care about sex slaves.

While you may have deeply cared before Japan signed this deal, I think many did not all and would happily do the same again.

Ourthere are others that trot out the same incoherent argument:

We didn't do and they were all willing prostitutes, but we've said sorry anyway and paid compensation. So shut up about it.

-11 ( +6 / -17 )

There is a long list of the times the Japanese government, certain prime ministers and the Emperor have apologized, not that I expect anyone to read it.

Just one example from 2015 if you can bear to read it: 'As Prime Minister of Japan, Prime Minister Abe expresses anew his most sincere apologies and remorse to all the women who underwent immeasurable and painful experiences and suffered incurable physical and psychological wounds as comfort women."'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_war_apology_statements_issued_by_Japan

16 ( +21 / -5 )

macv:

Dear Korean Ladies I promise I am dedicating my life to make sure the world knows and never forgets what the Japanese did to you and all of Korea.

Stop abusing those poor ladies for your self-righteous political agenda. I understand that it may be very tough for you to stop because you were born into the Han culture that requires something to constantly fuel resentments inside your heart. And images of these poor ladies and evil Japan are convenient tools for you.

But look beyond Korean Han tradition and find a wisdom in the world, which found a way to overcome self-destructive vicious circle of resentments.

As Buddha said more than 2000 years ago:

"He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me." Those who harbor such thoughts do not still their hatred.

"He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me." Those who do not harbor such thoughts still their hatred.

Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.

(Dhammapada 1:3-5)

15 ( +20 / -5 )

englisc aspyrgendNov. 25  08:36 pm JST

Joyriding, to use the German comparison, there were collaborators in all of the occupied countries, recognised by those countries (and they were dealt with by them) but that in no way mitigated what was done by Germany and the Germans did not seek to claim any such either but gave full and honest apology, which is why it was accepted despite the pain, suffering and bitterness. Sadly this has not been done by Japan and a group of revisionists in high places keep trying to water down, deny and subvert any attempts that have been made.

Wrong. Germany has never addressed, apologized or made compensation for the women who were forced to work in the military brothels. Japan has several times including the 2015 Agreement that included an apology from PM Abe...which South Korea is unilaterally breaking.

"According to records, at least 34,140 European women were forced to serve as prostitutes during the German occupation of their own countries along with female prisoners of concentration camp brothels.[1] In many cases in Eastern Europe, the women involved were kidnapped on the streets of occupied cities during German military and police round ups called łapanka or rafle."

"A 1977 German report by a neoconservative historian from Baden-Württemberg, Franz W. Seidler, contended that the foreign women who were made to register for the German military brothels had been prostitutes already before the war. Ruth Seifert, professor of sociology at the University of Applied Sciences in Regensburg; on the other hand, maintained that women were ostensibly forced to work in these brothels by their German captors, as shown during the Trial of the Major War Criminals before the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg in 1946, further confirmed by the 1961 book published by Raul Hilberg.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_military_brothels_in_World_War_II

13 ( +19 / -6 )

zurcroniumNov. 25  07:27 pm JST

will be finally willing to face up to the idea that Koreans as well as the Japanese were responsible for this? 

Um, who occupied who prior and through the war period? The whole power dynamic was pretty one sided. You do not hear about Japanese women forced into sex slavery by the Koreans. Sorry, the above statement was so dumb it had to be called out.

Indicative of popular South Korean fallacies.

The buying of young women from their impoverished families as well as tricking them into service predates the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910 by several centuries. That Korean middlemen gathered the women is recognized by South Korean scholars. Additionally all the policemen in Korea were Koreans, which makes the claim that "Japanese troops kidnapped the women" an impossibility.

"At the height of their popularity, the Chosŏn dynasty recruited one hundred new kisaengs between the ages of six and ten every three years. In some instances, the daughters of kisaengs were selected, while others were sold into the profession by poverty-stricken families. "

https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1004&context=gvjh

14 ( +18 / -4 )

 Additionally all the policemen in Korea were Koreans, which makes the claim that "Japanese troops kidnapped the women" an impossibility.

No it does not - that Korean policeman are Korean does have anything direct logical impact on the actions of Japanese troops and certainly far from "impossible".

Furthermore, French policemen helped in rounding up French jews for the Germans - this does not mean that the Germans were not ultimately responsible. Likewise, in Japan, Korean middle men may have helped find girls, but all the same, the Japanese were ultimately at fault.

-14 ( +3 / -17 )

Even if one buys all the Korean revisionism and denial of responsibility and concludes that Japan is ultimately at fault, Japan has already apologized countless times and paid compensation as requested. It is not Japan's fault that South Korea since 1965 refuses to give this compensation to the surviving Comfort Women.

The woman in the article Lee Yong-soo has been telling her story since 1993 which has changed dramatically over time. Yet the biased western media proceed with an article like this one.

1993- "In the summer of 1944, a friend's mother asked me if I wanted to go 'where you can live a rich life', but I rejected this offer. A few days later when that friend came and invited me out, there was a man wearing clothes like an army uniform. There were 3 young girls with him. He gave me a dress and a pair of red shoes which overwhelmed me because it was the first time someone gave me something new. The man said 'Come along with me', so 5 young girls including me and my friend followed him to the train station. It was my first time to ride a train. I felt ill on it so it made me cry. "

1996-"In October 1943 when I was catching fish from the river with a friend, 2 men in military uniforms (I'm not sure if they were Japanese) pointed a finger at me so I ran away. During the same month some day at dawn, a woman came into my house and said 'Be quiet and come', and took me away. This woman told me 'Don't speak in Korean.' When I was taken to where the embankments are, the man I saw before was there. My friend who was already there gave me a bundle, and there was a pair of shoes in it. "

1998-I was forced to work as a sex slave for the Japanese army for 3 years (...nip...) How I was abducted from my home country Korea by the Japanese Army on an evening in 1944 (...nip...) When I was sent to the comfort station I was only 16 according to East Asian age reckoning.

2002-I was forcibly abducted with a bayonet pointed at me when I was 14 years old.

2004-I was taken away at the age of 16 not knowing what was going on (...nip...) Around 1944, I was abducted by the Imperial Japanese Army, and spent about 3 years in Taiwan as a military comfort woman

2007-A Japanese Soldier dragged me out of my house grabbing my neck when I was 14 years old.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/171fHdHD-xFU1g7-XAuuYVhR4wMwZ9VBwKVXPCu78riE/edit

15 ( +21 / -6 )

there is a mistake in the headline it should read "South Korea's surviving comfort women spend final years seeking more money than they already got"

13 ( +19 / -6 )

"The survivors of the heinous crimes the Japanese committed are dying day by day, and I bet Abe is dancing for joy," Lee said, becoming animated as she described her frustration. "They should apologize, tell the truth, and pay the legal compensation."

Abe himself issued an apology and Japan paid compensation. But the South Korean government refuses to hand that money over to the survivors and has reneged on it's 2015 Agreement.

Yet this women can make a statement as above placing the blame entirely on Japan and even Abe himself. Somebody tell this woman the truth.

16 ( +20 / -4 )

David VarnesNov. 25 11:22 pm JST

Don't really care since under INTERNATIONAL law it is over.

Again, it's not a matter of law, it's a matter of morality.

Yeah in which SK had shown abundantly.

Basically SK will not adhere to any international treaty thinking they are are above it.

Other nations should take this as evidence that SK CANNOT be trusted.

14 ( +18 / -4 )

Both SK and Japan equally treat their women unfairly, and failed to protect them when needed.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

The women were seized in their villages or fooled into thinking they'd been hired for far-off factory jobs, only to end up trapped in "comfort stations" — front-line brothels, where they were forced to have sex with dozens of men a day. "They had no personal freedom, were treated with violence and savagery by the soldiers and with indifference by the station operators and army doctors," a 1996 U.N. report stated.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-korea-japan-apology-slave-edit-1231-20151230-story.html

Japan's heinous war-crimes are common knowledge the world over. The UN knows, the world knows - as do popular media houses. No amount of denying or derailing the truth will ever change the truth.

Women were beaten, suffered from sexually transmitted diseases and were abandoned or killed by retreating Japanese troops.

-17 ( +4 / -21 )

asking Japan to make sincere apology, that is what I want

Perhaps Japanese officials should meet with surviving comfort women to determine once and for all the "sincere apology" that want to hear.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

Lots of voting on this topic - a surprising number, over 20, all down-voting any post that suggests that Japan recognise its past and atone. I never knew that JT had so many Japanese nationalist members.

-14 ( +6 / -20 )

Nice fine-tune yet again! Now you claim you returned in 1945. People remember well and even recorded what you have been said last 26 years and once asked you why you change your stories so often. You replied, Chong Dae Hyup arbitrarily made up your stories. So Ms Lee, which one has been lying to UN reporters, US congress, and people of the world? You or Chong Dae Hyup?

14 ( +17 / -3 )

Going back on a deal that's Final and Irreversible. That's you Korea. Congrats!

10 ( +14 / -4 )

There is a long list of the times the Japanese government, certain prime ministers and the Emperor have apologized, not that I expect anyone to read it.

And yet there have been many more times when officials have either denied it, said it wasn't as bad as all that, said they must have volunteered, etc etc. That officials in government and opposition and civil servants have expressed such notions tend to take much away from any "regret" or "apologies" expressed officially to the victims.

I have seen press conferences where company CEO's have expressed deep shame as they take responsibility for a company either going bankrupt or having lied to investors about finances within the company etc. They beg forgiveness and step down.

That level of apology has never been given to the victims and those giving the apology have never expressed their shame. Anything less than a full Japanese type of apology where responsibility is taken and shame expressed and forgiveness asked for, is real or acceptable. Not including such an apology into historical texts and School curriculum and especially looking for ways to later dismiss or deflect blame or gloss over the events is reprehensible and it will remain a thorn in Japans side that will come up again and again until it gets it right.

-13 ( +3 / -16 )

Lots of voting on this topic - a surprising number, over 20, all down-voting any post that suggests that Japan recognise its past and atone. I never knew that JT had so many Japanese nationalist members.

Alternatively, over 20, all down voting any post that suggest Japan apologize and pay restitution... AGAIN.

Maybe it's not "Japanese nationalist members", but instead people who understand that there simply isn't enough "sincere apologies" that would stop this idiocy.

7 ( +14 / -7 )

Build a few more statues.  And keep trotting these poor old folks out to ask for "atonement:.  time is running short.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

I never knew that JT had so many Japanese nationalist members.

Rather have them here, than running round causing distress in the real world, tbf.

90 years old and still fighting fit. Good on these women. It's important history is not forgotten. That includes all the horrible incidents, as well.

-12 ( +4 / -16 )

Maybe it's not "Japanese nationalist members", but instead people who understand that there simply isn't enough "sincere apologies" that would stop this idiocy.

They only need one sincere apology. So far there have been zero sincere apologies.

Anyone who has ever nave a sincere apology would never mind repeating it and certainly not kick up a fuss about it.

Those who do not want to apologise and hate doing so would do anything to avoid it. This latter group seem to be prominent on JP.

After all, they were willing prostitutes and Japan said sorry and have them some money, even though they were apparently willing, right?

-13 ( +4 / -17 )

And no you don't hear about Koreans forcing Japanese women to be comfort women, but you do hear about Koreans forcing Korean girls to do this!

When you are facing starvation because an occupying army wants to destroy your country and turn it into Japan light you do what you have to do. In normal circumstances parents do not sell their kids. Koreans are not selling their kids today to the Japanese army. And furthermore if Japan was not buying child slaves back then the Koreans would not be sellers.

The flimsy arguments of the Japan nationalist rightwing trolls are pathetic. And proves the point that many Japanese cannot honestly discuss their history. Hence the reaction of the victims of the Japanese acts of terror and cruelty. Germany, which of course did much worse, has moved on. Japan is trapped in its own self pity and denial like a mental patient stuck within its own delusions.

Grow up you down voting trolls. Reality is not so bad as you may think.

-17 ( +1 / -18 )

Yeah in which SK had shown abundantly.

Basically SK will not adhere to any international treaty thinking they are are above it.

Other nations should take this as evidence that SK CANNOT be trusted.

And in their repeated 'sorry/not sorry' apologies, wherein someone bows for 'incidents that have happened' and the very next day runs to Yasukuni to proclaim that nothing happened and all the people they apologized to just a few days ago were nothing but volunteering whores... the government of Japan has shown time and time again it cannot be trusted.

Here it is, plain and simple: Apologize, and stop backtracking and running to places like Yasukuni where you denigrate the victims. Stop obfuscating by saying "well there were middle men who were their own countrymen!" or "some of them were!" or "well, what about after the war when-"

IT DOESN'T MATTER.

Stop lying to your own people. Stop saying 'sorry/not sorry' with every half hearted apology that even then won't actually own up to what was done. Stop claiming that previous apologies, which were quickly backtracked sometimes by the very people who uttered them, are sufficient.

If I rob you, apologize, and then proclaim that you had it coming, that isn't an apology. I showed no contrition, no regret, no remorse, regardless of my words or money I might have paid out to you.

And that is what the government of Japan has done time and time again.

-15 ( +2 / -17 )

For all these past "Settlements" with various governments, did those actually impacted benefit ? Like, did these poor unfortunate women receive any form of compensation at all ?

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Sincere apologise means the full country back it up (let's say the majority of the people take it as an undeniable fact).

If you say sorry outside and minimise or cover up inside this is cynical.

Easy to check: make a random poll in Japan with a representative cohort asking if the confort women was a wrongdoing or not.

If the majority is yes, keep the memory of it so that is does not happen again. If the majority says no, well, quite a big remaining educational job to do.

-13 ( +2 / -15 )

I used to side with South Korea, until they agreed with Japan to settle once and for all, then reneged afterwards. Japan made an honest effort to deal with it. The Koreans rejected that. At this point it's up to South Korea, Japan has proven there is nothing else they can do, and that South Korea will whine no matter what.

15 ( +17 / -2 )

@Strangerland

Two politicians meeting to settle down an apology agreement to get rid of the burden is worse than doing nothing.

What is deeply missing in this whole story is compassion for the victims.

-10 ( +2 / -12 )

When you are facing starvation because an occupying army wants to destroy your country and turn it into Japan light you do what you have to do.

You are basically arguing against miscellaneous facts, like Average length of life, population, Literacy rate, GNP per capita, etc all improved dramatically during period of Japanese ruling.

 In normal circumstances parents do not sell their kids. Koreans are not selling their kids today to the Japanese army. And furthermore if Japan was not buying child slaves back then the Koreans would not be sellers.

They did in normal circumstances in the 1000yrs history of the peninsula. Those days it was not rare at all slave parents sold slave kids to Korean ruling class YangBang. .

Here it is, plain and simple: Apologize, and stop backtracking and running to places like Yasukuni where you denigrate the victims. Stop obfuscating by saying "well there were middle men who were their own countrymen!" or "some of them were!" or "well, what about after the war when-"

If you wish to criticize on people visiting Yasukuni, wait for the very topic coming up, Visiting Yasukuni has nothing to do with comfort women issue. And don’t forget it is South Korea that backtracked and flipped the table over. 

What is deeply missing in this whole story is compassion for the victims.

more than 70% of the victim accepted Japanese apology and took money. Those 12 on Chong Dae Hyup payroll rejected. Is it really victims or Chong Dae Hyup who runs this whole show?

10 ( +12 / -2 )

If you wish to criticize on people visiting Yasukuni, wait for the very topic coming up, Visiting Yasukuni has nothing to do with comfort women issue. And don’t forget it is South Korea that backtracked and flipped the table over. 

As the two are inherently tied together, then yes they do have something to do with each other. Because if it wasn't, there wouldn't be a horde of Nippon Kaigi oyaji in their tails and hair dye running to it to offer sacrifices, makes speeches, and deny, deny , deny every time the issue is brought up.

-12 ( +1 / -13 )

Its sad that these women went from being tools of the Japanese government to being tools of their own government.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

i devote my life to their getting justice fear not

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

showchinmonoNov. 26  11:53 pm JST

You are basically arguing against miscellaneous facts, like Average length of life, population, Literacy rate, GNP per capita, etc all improved dramatically during period of Japanese ruling.

> They did in normal circumstances in the 1000yrs history of the peninsula. Those days it was not rare at all slave parents sold slave kids to Korean ruling class YangBang. .

I am starting to believe that the root cause of the problem is that Koreans are unaware/unwilling to accept their past living situation before annexation and are not taught at school of those fact.

After indoctrination in the early phase in childhood to hate Japan they can not accept the conflicting reality of the living status forcing them to phase out those fact only able to focus on hate.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

I am starting to believe that the root cause of the problem is that Koreans are unaware/unwilling to accept their past living situation before annexation and are not taught at school of those fact.

After indoctrination in the early phase in childhood to hate Japan they can not accept the conflicting reality of the living status forcing them to phase out those fact only able to focus on hate.

 

True. I personally think there were more people who had positive views on the era of Japanese ruling as people in Taiwan. Generally speaking, Koreans are very good at brainwashing people but they are also vulnerable to too.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Anyway, S.K should keep Chong Dae Hyup from organizing demonstration among very young kids around the statue to brainwash them completely. Young Kids rather should know how slaves and women treated in the history of the peninsula including after ww2.

S.K will not be able to keep separating Japanese military comfort women by calling them sex slaves and hiding the real stories of Korean/UN military sex slaves by treating them willing prostitutes.

https://www1.president.go.kr/petitions/449983

6 ( +8 / -2 )

This is one of the lowest points in Japanese History! The Woman in this World should never be used to "please Males"!

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Obvious, a very regrettable thing that should never have happened. But its not like this was the first time this has happened in the history of the world. The russians did it to Germany and vise versa (WW2), Korea, china and Japan have a long history, where do you draw the line? If they go back on this "agreement" they should pay the money back (2015)

2 ( +3 / -1 )

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